• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 2024

Hepatic fibrosis refers to the scarring of liver tissue, often resulting from chronic liver injury or inflammation. It is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, impairing liver function and potentially progressing to cirrhosis if left untreated. To improve the liver functions, Cordyceps militaris, a species of parasitic fungus known for its medicinal properties, is used in the form of extract. It has been traditionally used in Chinese medicine to boost energy, improve stamina, and support overall health. In this study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of Cordyceps militaris extract powder in a liver injury model induced by hepatic fibrosis. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were administered Dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) to induce liver injury, and the hepatoprotective effects of Cordyceps militaris extract powder intake were assessed by comparing changes in liver enzyme levels and histological observations. Rats injected with DMN were orally administered Cordyceps militaris extract powder at doses of 0, 125, 250, and 500 mg·kg^-1·day^-1 for three weeks. After three weeks of treatment, no significant differences were observed in hematological, clinical chemical, organ weight, gross examination, or microscopic examination between the DMN-alone group and the Cordyceps militaris extract powder-treated group. In conclusion, hepatoprotective effects against DMN-induced liver injury in SD rats treated with Cordyceps militaris extract powder were not observed under this study condition.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.653-657
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• 2012

While it is known that sulfur containing amino acids (SCAA) are very important in regulating hepatocyte growth and preventing liver-diseases, the fundamental molecular mechanisms of how they exert their hepatoprotective functions are not well known. Since it is widely understood that the hepatic concentrations of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) in chronic liver disease patients are severely decreased, the pathophysiological importance of SAMe and its downstream antioxidant, glutathione should be discussed in order to see a big picture of relationship between SCAA and liver diseases. Chronic SAMe deficient mice have shown spontaneous hepatocellular carcinoma development due to impaired mitochondria functions with low levels of prohibitin1 protein, and through deficiency in many genes which are known to ameliorate genetic instability, such as APEX1 and DUSP1, the functions of which are recovered by SAMe treatment. In this review, current knowledge of the basic concepts of the mechanisms through which SCAAs protect the liver will be discussed in detail. Also, a possible tumor suppressor in livers, prohibitin1, and its functional relationship with SAMe will be discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Community Living Science Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.169-169
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• 2005

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.334-342
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• 2018

People in Korea, a peninsular, have acquired a variety of marine food resources including seaweeds. Ecklonia stolonifera, a brown algae, is commonly dwelling in Korean coasts and their cultivation methods were developed for a mass-production. Recently, studies have revealed that Ecklonia stolonifera is a promising material for the development of health functional foods. In an effort to carefully review the current understating in the effects and mechanisms of Ecklonia stolonifera on liver functions by deduction from relevant literatures, the effective components were identified as phlorotannins, including dieckol, eckstolonol, eckol, phlorofucofuroeckol A, and phlorosterol. Their aiding action on the hepatic functions is categorized as follows. A) Regulation of oxidative stress by anti-oxidant capacity, B) Protection of hepatocytes from toxins, C) Prevention of alcoholic fatty liver and fibrogenesis, D) Regulation of chronic disease by improvement of inflammatory responses and lipid metabolisms, and E) indirect benefit conferred by a personal total wellness.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.217-225
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• 1994

In an attempt to define the effects of Biphenyldimethyl dicarboxylate(DDB) on the lipid peroxidation, oxygen free radical scavenging enzymes activities and hepatic functions in ethanol-induced hepatotoxic rats, we studies malondialdehyde(MDA) level and the activities of catalse, superoxide dismutase(SOD), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase(GOT) and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase(GPT) in liver of the rats at 24, 48 and 72 hr after the injection of ethanol and DDB. Sprague-Dalwey albino rats weighing 250 to 280gm were injected intraperitoneally with ethanol(2.5 gm/kg ) only and ethanol plus DDB(300mg/kg ). The result obtained can be summarized as follows : 1) The group treated with ethanol showed significantly higher MDA level and lower catalase and SOD activities at 24, 48 and 72hr after the injection as compared with that of control group. 2) The group treated with ethanol showed significantly higher GOT and GPT activities at 24, 48 and 72hr after the injection as compared with that of control group. 3) The group treated with ethanol plus DDB showed significantly lower MDA level and higher catalase and SOD activities at 24, 48 and 72 hr after the injection as compared with that of ethanol group. 4) The group treated with ethanol plus DDB showed significantly lower GOT and GPT activities at 24, 48 and 72 hr after the injection as compared with that of ethanol group. These results suggest that the excessive oxygen free radicals resulting from the depression of the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase is an important determinant in pathogenesis of ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity and DDB has antioxidant effects.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.710-714
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• 2006

The present study examined the lipid lowering and antioxidant activity of Paecilomyces tenuipes. Eight week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed one of the three diets, a reference diet without cholesterol addition (NC), a high fat (17 g/ 100 g)-high cholesterol (1 g/100 g) diet (HC) and a HC diet supplemented with 3% P. tenuipes (PT) for 30 days. Total lipid and total cholesterol were reduced significantly by 33 and 37%, respectively, in the PT diet group compared with controls. A similar reduction was found for low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, while plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) concentrations were not significantly different among groups. Hepatic total lipid and total cholesterol levels, but not hepatic TG levels, were significantly decreased in the PT group compared to the HC group. The administration of P. tenuipes increased the plasma total antioxidant potential and decreased the levels of lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that P. tenuipes exerts significant health benefits through the modulation of physiological functions including a variety of atherogenic lipid profiles and antioxidants in hypercholesterolemia.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.104-111
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• 2012

Objective : The aim of this study is to report the effect and safety of Traditional Korean Medicine on the treatment of erythrodermic psoriasis which appeared after stopping high potency topical steroids. Methods : A patient with psoriasis stopped topical steroids after the first outpatient care and was treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion for eight months. The severity of psoriasis was assessed with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Liver and renal functions were tested to observe the hepatic and renal toxicity of the treatment. Results : PASI score were 6.2 on the first visit and three months after it increased to 30 and the patient showed symptoms of erythrodermic psoriasis. And seven months after the first visit, it decreased to 0.6. There was no hepatic and renal toxicity of the treatment. Conclusion : These findings suggest that Traditional Korean Medicine might be effective and safe for the treatment of erythrodermic psoriasis.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.629-635
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• 1995

Obese children have increaed in Korean in recent years as socieconomic status have got more higher than past years. Obese children have many health problems and some kinds of complications. Obese patients who have fatty liver with abnormal liver function should be managed with weight control. This study was intended to investigate the effect of weight control on hepatic abnormalities of obese children with fatty liver. We managed 6 obese children who had fatty liver with abnormal liver finction for weight control containing behavior modification, diet and exercise during 3 months. After 3 months, we compared body weight, liver function test, dietary intake and exercise. Body mass index(BMI) showed significant decrease from 28.1$\pm$2.3kg/$m^2$ to 26.2$\pm$1.7kg/$m^2$ (p<0.01). Aspartate aminotransferase(AST) showed significant improvement from 56$\pm$15IU/l(p<0.01). Alanine aminotransferase(ALT) also showed significant improvement from 108$\pm$38IU/l to 33$\pm$9IU/l(p<0.01). Therefore if we can rule out the other causes of hepatic abnormalities in obese children with fatty liver, these patients showed benefit by weight control as it can improve both obesity and liver functions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.109-109
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• 2001

The present study was done to investigate the relationship between Kupffer cells and alteration of cytochrome P-450 (CYP)-dependent drug metabolizing enzyme activities during polymicrobial sepsis. Male rats were subjected to polymicrobial sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) followed by fluid resuscitation. The gadolinium chloride (GdC1$_3$, 10 mg/kg), blocker of Kupffer cells, was pretreated intravenously at 48 h and 24 h prior to the induction of CLP. All assay parameters were determined at 24 h after CLP or sham operation. In CLP-treated rats, the mortality rate of animals increased to 50% and serum alanine (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels also significantly elevated. However, this increase was not suppressed by GdC1$_3$ pretreatment. Microsomal lipid peroxidation markedly increased after CLP operation. This increase was significantly attenuated by pretreatment. Total cytochrome P-450 content and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase activity were not changed after CLP operation, but GdC1$_3$pretreatment reduced total cytochrome P-450 content, The hepatic microsomal CYP 1A1, 1A2, 2Bl and 2El activities in CLP-induced rats were also not significantly different from sham-operated rats. However, GdC1$_3$pretreatment showed a moderate increase in CYP1A1 and 1A2 activities. Our findings suggest that Kupffer cells may be partly responsible for producing hepatocellular dysfunction during sepsis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.119-124
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• 2000

We hypothesized that the extent of hypoxic injury would be involved in reduction of oxygen delivery to the tissue. Livers isolated from 18 hr-fasted rats were subjected to $N_2$-induced hypoxia or low flow hypoxia. Livers were perfused with nitrogen/carbon dioxide gas for 45min or perfused with normoxic Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (KHBB) at low flow rates around 1 ml/g liver/min far 45min, which caused cells to become hypoxic because of insufficient delivery of oxygen. When normal flow rates(4 ml/g liver/min) of KHBB (pH 7.4, 37$^{\circ}C$, oxygen/carbon dioxide gas) were restored for 30min reoxygenation injury occurred. Lactate dehydrogenase release gradually increased in $N_2$-induced hypoxia, whereas it rapidly increased in low flow hypoxia. Total glutathione in liver tissue was not changed but oxidized glutathione markedly increased after hypoxia and reoxygenation, expecially in $N_2$-induced hypoxia. Similarly, lipid peroxidation in liver tissue significantly increased after hypoxia and reoxygenation in low flow hypoxia. Hepatic drug metabolizing functions (phase I, II) were suppressed during hypoxia, especially in $N_2$-induced hypoxia but improved by reoxygenation in both models. Our findings suggest that hypoxia results in abnormalities in drug metabolizing function caused by oxidative stress and that this injury is dependent on hypoxic conditions.